Graded EX 5 by PSA. Very attractive high-grade example of the rookie card of Hall of Famer Georges Vezina (for whom the Vezina Trophy is named) from the extremely rare C55 Imperial Tobacco hockey series, accompanied by 37 additional 1910-era baseball and hockey tobacco cards, exactly as originally found. The Vezina card is by far the highlight of this small and unusual find. The 37 additional tobacco cards are comprised of fifteen T206s, eight T205s, one C46, eleven C55 [hockey], two E102s, plus one S74 silk. This eclectic group was recently discovered by a noncollector at a local estate sale in upstate New York. Our consignor, a longtime postcard collector, was walking through the living room of the home during the estate sale when he accidentally tripped over one of many boxes lying around, kicking it open. He naturally looked in the box for postcards, as that is what he was looking for, and while unfortunately there were none, at the very bottom of this particular box was this small group of tobacco cards. He purchased them and sent the group to REA in case there was anything of value. When we told him the Vezina was worth thousands of dollars (note: he did not know who Vezina was), we could have knocked him over with a feather! The fact that the Vezina card was the highest-grade card of the lot was more good fortune. Sometimes everything goes right! We are told that the proceeds from the sale of this lot will be funding a lot of postcard purchases in the near future.

The C55 Vezina rookie card is exceptionally bright and clean, with deep, rich colors. The corners are square with even, very light wear. The image is centered to the left. The back is clean with very bold print. Unlike baseball's most significant vintage sets, such as T206 and 1933 Goudey, which are widely known throughout the collecting world, hockey's great rarities and earliest issues are relatively unknown, except by veteran hockey-card collectors. This is a beautiful newly discovered example of Georges Vezina's rookie card, universally recognized as one of the greatest and most important of all hockey cards, and which would be a worthy addition to any high-grade C55 set or world-class classic Hall of Fame hockey-card collection. The 37 additional cards which were found along with the C55 Vezina rookie card and which are also included in this lot are the following: 1) Fifteen T206 White Borders: Pr-Fr, including Chance (batting, El Principe De Gales back), two Chase (blue), Gandil ("Black Sox"), Jennings (one hand), and Jennings (two hands); 2) Eight T205 Gold Borders: Pr-Fr, including Chase (gold frame ends); 3) One C46 Imperial: #3 LeClaire (Fr); 4) Two E102 Set of 25: Collins (Pr) and Evers (Pr); 5) Eleven C55 Hockey: #8 (Gd), 12 (Pr), 19 (Vg), three Taylor (Vg, Gd, Pr), 22 (Fr), 32 Hern (Pr), 33 Roberts (Vg), 34 (Ex), and 35 Russell (Ex); 6) One S74 Silk: Schlei (mounted to paper). The SMR value for just the Vezina rookie (not including the 37 ungraded cards) is $4,650. Total: 38 cards (C55 Vezina rookie plus 37 additional baseball and hockey tobacco cards). Reserve $1,000. Estimate $2,000/$3,000+.SOLD FOR $6,463

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